Latest Area News Headlines

JACKSON – Four people had to swim to shore Sunday morning when their boat capsized on Loon Lake about a quarter mile from shore. According to a report from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, authorities received notice of four people floating in the water around 10:30 a.m. near the north island on Looon Lake. The four were duck hunting when their boat capsized. A resident who had just gone outside because his power had gone out heard screams and contacted authorities.

Emergency crews deployed boats into the lake, but the victims had swam to shore. They ranged in age from 62 to 16...

SIBLEY, Iowa — Two eighth-grade football players facing charges of assault with sexual intent as a result of a bullying incident were expelled from school for the remainder of the semester during a Saturday closed-door meeting of the Sibley-Ocheyedan school board. If the two boys return to school at S-O next year, they’ll face in-school suspension, and will also be required to do a presentation on bullying to the middle school, take part in counseling and perform community service. They are also banned from all extracurricular activities for the remainder of the school year.

WORTHINGTON – According to Worthington Public Utilities General Manager Scott Hain, the non-essential water ban proposed weeks ago by the Water and Light Commission went into effect today. At this morning’s check of well levels at the Lake Bella well field, the static level at Well No. 26 was 30 feet 2 inches, which is 4 feet 8 inches below the 15-year average.

Effective Nov. 3, violators of the ban will be subject to a $90 fine for the first offense, and a $160 fine for a second offense. Continued violations may result in water service to the property being disconnected. The ban...

WORTHINGTON – During a brief hearing Thursday, Nobles County District Court gave the city of Worthington permission to have access to the Kmart portion of Northland Mall, for the purpose of identifying the next steps to renovate or demolish the former Kmart building. Mall owner Mike Kohan did not make an appearance.

Following an inspection in mid-June as a result of a drug bust within the former Kmart building, city officials found numerous violations within the structure. The city council declared the building hazardous on Aug. 12, and Thursday’s court hearing was the next step in...

WORTHINGTON – Two vehicle crashes kept Nobles County responder entities busy today. Shortly before 8:30 a.m., James Schultz, age 21, of Bigelow, rear-ended a feeder wagon on Minnesota 59, 1.3 miles north of I-90. The wagon was pulled by a tractor being driven by John Widboom, 68, of Worthington. Schultz suffered non-life threatening injuries. Both vehicles were southbound on 59 at the time of the crash. The road was dry, but fog was still thick when the crash occurred. Worthington Rescue, the Nobles County Sheriff's Office and the Minnesota State Patrol responded.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today warned consumers about a sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, throughout the country.

Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.

“This scam has hit taxpayers in nearly every state in the country. We want to educate...

WORTHINGTON – With the school referendum vote coming up on Tuesday, Worthington District 518 Superintendent John Landgaard is reminding residents to get out and vote between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the Worthington High School Auxiliary gym. The school receives its funding through federal, state and local taxpayer support, he said, and these dollars go to support our community in a variety of ways in promoting a healthy economic environment.

The District has chosen at this time to ask voters to decide on two ballot questions in the upcoming special election. The first...

WORTHINGTON — Sanford Health Cancer Center in Worthington has received a new art installation. Every piece was made either entirely by or with the help of a cancer survivor. Survivors, family members and staff get the opportunity to create works like these with artists as part of Sanford Health Sanford Arts program based in Sioux Falls, S.D. While patients wait for radiation, receive chemotherapy infusions, or are an inpatient, they have the opportunity to work with professional artists to create personal and unique works of art.

PIPESTONE – The animal rights group Mercy for Animals released an undercover video today that the they say depicts cruelty at a Pipestone hog farm, including slamming piglets to death on the floor. The hog farm management company says practices depicted in the video — including killing piglets through “blunt force trauma" — are all within hog industry guidelines.

The video from Mercy For Animals was taken surreptitiously on behalf of the group by an employee at Rosewood Farm, which is part of the Pipestone System, a group of over 200 hog farmers who share services.